VG247: Ubisoft's second Red Steel game hasn't been without its controversies.
The sword-fighting Wii outing raised eyebrows by putting all its eggs in MotionPlus's basket at E3 last year – a move later described as a "huge risk" by the dev team – and has found itself in what conventional wisdom increasingly dictates is an area best avoided: core titles on Wii.
Creative director Jason Vandenberghe, however, is undeterred. With the game out this Friday, he filled us in on why Red Steel 2's sword-play will be the most "awesome" yet seen, why his now infamous comment on success being paramount to the IP's future wasn't quite what it seemed, and how the next Red Steel will include a Vitality Sensor-based "zen" mode.
His words, not ours.
Phil writes, "Too often we see video game sequels that don't quite live up to their predecessors... but we already have an article series dedicated to those games. Instead, let's take a look at those video game sequels that not only live up to their predecessors but greatly surpass them in quality. It's time to bring back The Most Improved Video Game Sequels (you can read part one here) to check out these sensational sequels that delivered and did so in a deliciously delightful manner."
Resident Evil 4
Ratchet & Clank 2
Silent Hill 2
Street fighter 2
Castlevania: Symphony of the night
Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
Assassins Creed 2
Metal Gear Solid (not first game in the series)
Tekken 3
God of War (2018)
Mortal Kombat 9
Devil May Cry 3
Virtua Fighter 4
Luigis Mansion 3 doesn’t really belong in that list because the first game was great and it’s sequels didn’t really redefine the series.
There’s more to Ubisoft’s back catalogue than its Templar-bothering flagship franchise and we’re here to prove it. By grovelling for remasters, of course.
With the Switch bringing interest back into the realm of motion controls, it seems as good a time as any to dip back into the backlog and retrieve some lucrative nuggets from the one that launched the phenomenon in the first place: the Nintendo Wii.
Red Steel 2’s sword-swinging is, from what we sampled at E3 last year, far more accurate. But it’s still not 1:1. Gamers have been clamoring for 1:1 sword-fighting on the Wii since day one. Why not grant their wish?
We tried it. It sucked, and it sucked hard. We looked carefully at what the problems were, and decided that with the time and resources we had, it couldn’t be done. And, worse, it wasn’t clear that it could be done in first-person at all.
Now, time may prove me wrong – someone may go ahead and make a most awesome first-person sword-fighting game with true 1:1 motion, and make it totally satisfying, learnable, powerful, and fun. I wish them luck!
That said, we’ve learned a lot from this experience. Let’s just say that if we get another stab at the task, we might be able to push things quite a bit further. But that’s a big “if”.
LOL but sony actual believe their control is 1:1 motion which will be their downfall
"For mature games: you are referring, I believe, to an online conversation that I lovingly call The Great ‘Is-The-Wii –Hardcore’ Religious War. Someone, somewhere decided that the Wii wasn’t hard enough. Because it’s white? Because girls play with it too? Blame Mario? Not sure. And since then any data for the Wii, positive or negative. is inevitably interpreted as proving that only non-gamers play with Wiis. Which is clearly not true."
couldn't have said it better myself.
"Red Steel 2’s sword-swinging is, from what we sampled at E3 last year, far more accurate. But it’s still not 1:1. Gamers have been clamoring for 1:1 sword-fighting on the Wii since day one. Why not grant their wish?
vandenberghe: We tried it. It sucked, and it sucked hard. We looked carefully at what the problems were, and decided that with the time and resources we had, it couldn’t be done. And, worse, it wasn’t clear that it could be done in first-person at all."
There you have it, complete 1:1 is not the be all and end all, people who are claiming salvation by sony answer me this, how would you pull of kratos' moves using 1:1 combat?
'Well, kids, for the record, I have no interest in your religious war. I’m gonna go ahead and make what some of you might call a ‘real game’ for Wii, put a bunch of stuff in it you can’t get on other platforms, and I’m betting that one or two of you might evening be willing to try it, even if it’s on the Wii. See if I don’t!'
I like that guy he has and shows a lot of energy and enthusiasm...
"Duh. I intend to include a “zen” mode where if you can keep your heart-rate low, your spirit (re: mana) will regenerate faster, and, to the contrary, if you maintain a high heart-rate, you will generate more rage with each strike, which will allow you to unleash ultra combos."
Creative minds at work here! Very much so...